Control of a gyroscope



Nov. 26, 1940. R. VON FREYDORF I 2,222,754

CONTROL OF A GYROSCOPE Filed Jan. 19, 1938 I MENTOR. BY yo 7 M PatentedNov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL OF A GYBOSCOPEApplication January 19, 1938, Serial No. 185,759 In Germany December 9,1935 Claims. (01. 33-222) This invention relates to the control of agyroscope and-more particularly to a control device utilizing theprecessional eflect of the gyroscope for altering the orientationthereof or for main-.

5 taining the same in a given position.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mechanismof the type above indicated.

' Another object is to provide a novel and improved system of the abovetype utilizing fluid pressure to exert a force tending to turn thegyroscope about its precession axis.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved surface against whicha fluid is directed.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature ofthe invention is more fully disclosed.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention willmore fully appear from the following detailed description when the sameis taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. Itis to-beexpressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose ofillustration only and is not intended as 9. definition of the limits ofthe invention, the reference for this latter purpose being had primarilyto the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ring-sector against which the fluid isdirected in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the ringsector' applied to agyroscope mounting of the type which is utilized with an artificialhorizon or with an airplane control device for maintaining a plane on'aneven keel;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the invention applied to acompass supervised course 1 Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig.3

illustrating a different embodiment of the invention; and,

Figs. 4a and 4b are fragmentary detail views of two positions ofoperation of a portion of the structure disclosed in Figure 4.

. In the following description and in the claims certain specific termsare used for convenience in referring to various details of theinvention.

These terms, however, are to be given as broad an interpretation as thestate of the art will permit.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, thefluid pressure device comprises a ring-sector i bounded by side walls 2and divided by a center wall 3. Between the side and center walls, thereare disposed rows of inclined vanes 4. The vanes of the two rows areoppositely inclined so that the vanes of one row are adapted to producea force in one direction, for example, to the right in Fig. 1, where- 5as the vanes of the other row are adapted to produce a force in theopposite direction, when a fluid medium is applied thereto in a radialdirection toward the axis of said sector.

The use of the ring-sector of Fig. 1 in a gyro- 10 scope system isillustrated in Fig. 2, which shows a gyroscope driven by any suitablemeans and mounted on a shaft 6 which is carried in a housing 5. Thehousing 5 is cardanically mounted in a gimbal ring 8 by means of a shaftI. The 15 gimbal ring 8 is mounted by means of a shaft 9 on a supportII) which may be fixed to the aircraft or the like. The housing 5carries a ringsector ll similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the axis ofwhich lies parallel to the axis of the shaft I. Suitable means isprovided for supplying a fluid current to the ring-sector ii. In theembodiment shown, this means comprises an air current generator I! whichmay be of the type illustrated in the co-pending application ofFriedrich 25 Lauck, Serial No.'l85,770, filed January 19, 1938 which ispendulously mounted as shown in Fig. 2 and is supported by the aircraftin a manner such that it is rotatable about the transverse axisgenerally designated at B of said craft. 30

The gimbal ring 8 also carries'a ring-sector i3 similar to that shown inFig. 1, whose axis lies parallel to the axis 01 the shaft 9. Suitablemeans is also provided for supplying fluid current to the ring-sectorit. In the form shown, 35 this comprises an air current generator, similar to generator I! and also pendulously mounted in this case forrotation about the longitudinal axis generally designated at A of theaircraft.

Air currentgenerators l2 and It may be of 40 any convenient type, suchas the acoustic nozzle type having a vibrating diaphragm adapted toproduce pulsating air currents which are dis charged through anelongated slot Ma onto the cooperating ring-sector. 45

The gyroscopic system is utilized in connection with any suitable meanssuch as a servomotor or the like (not shown) for stabilizing theaircraft about its transverse and longitudinal axes. Assuming that thegyroscope axis is cor- 50 rectly'positioned, air currents from thegenerators i2 and M will be centered with respect to the ring-sectors iiand iii. In that case. the reactive forces exerted on the vanes 4 in thetwo halves of the ring-sectors will be equalanc op- 55 is in a positioncorresponding to that of the new axis of the gyroscope. Thereupon,eitherpendulum 2 or 4 will be deflected, depending upon whether thecontrol is about the transverse or the longitudinal axis of the plane,causing the air current to be shifted to one side or the other of thecenter of the corresponding ring-sector or l3 and to build up aresulting force parallel to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope andtending to turn the gyroscope about its precession axis. The precessioneffect of the gyroscope is thus caused to turn the gyroscope about itsprecession axis until the ring-sector II or l3 has again been centeredwith respect to its air current generator. The gyroscope will thusreturn the aircraft to its original position and the pendulum l2 or l4will return to the position in which the reaction forces on thecorresponding ring-sector are again equalized. It will be noted that, inthe above system, the gyroscope is autoabove type is mounted on thehousing IS with its axis parallel to the shaft H. An air currentgenerator 2| of the type above mentioned is rigidly mounted onan anglepiece 22 attached to the gimbal ring l8. A deflector or guide surface 23is mounted for rotation with a compass needle 24. In the embodimentshown, the guide surface and compass needle are suspended by suitablesuspension means 26 from a bracket 25 attached to the gimbal ring l8. Inthis embodiment, when the gyroscope is correctly oriented withrespect'to the compass needle 24, namely, when the gyro spin axis isparallel to the longitudinal axis of the compass needle, the deflector23 causes the air current from the generator 2| to be applied centrallyto the ring-sector 20 and no resultant force is produced. If, however,the gyroscope is deflected from its course, the compass needle 24 causesthe deflector 23 to deflect the air current to the right or left on theringsector 20, thereby producing a force in a direction adapted to causethe precessional effect of the gyroscope to return the ring sector tocentral position. In this way, any precession of the gyroscope isautomatically compensated and the latter is caused to maintain aposition corresponding to that of the compass needle 24.

In Fig. 4, a different embodiment of the invention is shown in which thegyroscope and the gimbal ring l8 are mounted in the manner abovementioned and are identified by similar reference characters. In thisembodiment, the ring-sector 20 is mounted directly on the housing I5 andthe air current generator 2| is mounted-directly on the gimbal ring |8in a position normally central with respect to the ring-sector 20. Thecompass needle 24 is loosely mounted for movement about a pivot 30carried by a bracket 3| secured to the gimbal ring I8 in such a mannerthat one of its ends extends between the ring-sector 20 and the aircurrent generator 2| and is provided with a slot 24a. through which theair current is directed onto the ring sector. In this embodiment,

while the directional gyroscope maintains a correct course, the slot240. allows the air jet to strike the ring-sector centrally so that thereaction forces are balanced. The central disposition of compass needle24 with respect to the ring sector 20 under such condition is clearlyshown in Figure 40; Upon a course deflection, however, the compassneedle 24 shifts relatively laterally about its pivot 30, therebyshifting the air current in such a manner that a force is produced bythe ring-sector 20 tending to rotate the gyroscope about the shaft IT.The position assumed by the shifting needle 24 with respect to the ringsector is that disclosed in Figure 4b. The precessional effect of thegyroscope thereupon shifts the latter until the ring-sector 20 is againcentralized under the magnetic needle 24.

It is to be understood that the mounting of the gyroscope may be variedin any suitable manner and that the gyroscope may be used to control anydesired apparatus such as the control surfaces of an aircraft or anindicator or the like.

Although a particular embodiment has been shown for purposes ofillustration, various changes and modifications may be made therein, aswill be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art. The inventionis only to be limited in accordance with the scope of the followingclaims when interpreted in view of the prior art.

What is claimed is: l

1. In a device of the character described, a gyro mounted for freedomabout two mutually perpendicular axes, a segment-shaped element havingits axis parallel to one of said axes and mounted for movement with saidgyro, parallel rows of oppositely inclined vanes carried by said ring onthe outer circumference thereof, an impulse generator, and meanspendulously mounting said generator in a position adjacent said ringelement, whereby the impulses emitted by said generator normally impingeradially and uniformly upon said element and also so that upon movementof said gyro about the other of said axes a reactive force about saidone axis is produced by dissymmetrical impingement of said impulses uponsaid ring to cause said gyro to precess to its initial'position.

2. In a device of the character described, a gyro mounted for freedomabout two mutually perpendicular axes, a segment-shaped elementsymmetrically upon said ring to produce a reaction returning said gyroto its normal position. 8. In a device of the character described, agyro mounted for three degrees of freedom about three mutuallyperpendicular axes, a housing for Said gyro, a ring-shaped elementattached to said gyro housing, said ring being provided with parallelrows of oppositely inclined vanes, an impulse emit'ter attached tosaidgyro mounting for directing its impulses uniformly upon said ring, meansin the path of said impulses for directing the same, and means connectedto said lastnamed means responsive to the earth's magnetic field formoving the latter means thereby deflecting said impulses upon relativemovement of said responsive means and said gyro to return them to theiroriginal relative position.

4. In combination, a gyroscope comprising a rotor mounted for spinningabout one axis and for angular movement about two other axes nora fluidcurrent radially against said ring sector in a position such thatbalanced forces are normally produced thereby, whereby during angularmovement of said rotor said ring sector is moved with said rotor tothereby cause said current directing means to produce a force upon saidsector which causes precession of the gyroscope to return the gyroscopeand ring sector to their original position with respect to said fluidcurrent directing means.

5. In combination, a gyroscope comprising a rotor mounted for spinningabout one axis and for angular movement about two other axes,perpendicular to each other and to said spin axis, a pair of ringsectors mounted on said gyroscope having their mounting axis normal toeach other, the axis of curvature of one of said ring sectors beingsubstantially coincident with one of said two other axes, and the axisof curvature of the other of said ring sectors being substantiallycoincident with the remaining one of said two other axes, each ringsector comprising parallel rows of oppositely inclined vanes, a fluidcurrent nozzle normally directing fluid current centraily and radiallyagainst one of. said ring sectors, said nozzle being mounted forrelative movement transversely to said last-named sector during angularmovement of said rotor about one of said two named axes, thus producinga force causing the rotor to precess to return the ring sector to itsinitial position, and a second fluid current nozzle normally directingiiuid current centrally and radially against the other of said ringsectors and mounted for relative movement I transversely to itscorresponding ring sector during angular movement of said rotor aboutthe other of said first two named axes thus producing an unbalancedforce causing the rotor to precess to return the last-named ring sectorto its initial position.

RUDOLF v. FREYDORF.

